


Roller Coaster

by AgenderCombeferre



Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Rare Pair Mini Bang Summer 2016, Strangers to Lovers, Summer Fic, Summer Vacation, light alcohol consumption, warning for panic attack posted in notes of chapter in which it appears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-29
Updated: 2016-09-29
Packaged: 2018-08-12 14:29:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7938154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgenderCombeferre/pseuds/AgenderCombeferre
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Jason invites their group of friends to use his father's house in Virginia for a week break, Percy expected some things; sunburn, atrocious gas prices, Leo's bad jokes. He never expected Nico.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

    Percy needed a break.

    It wasn’t that his work was too difficult, he enjoyed working at the Y, teaching kids to swim. It wasn’t even too bad seeing his ex-girlfriend every day after she had broken up with him. It wasn’t like they’d had a blowout fight or he had any desire to vilify her for feeling the same as Percy. It was just...over.

    No, he could deal with that. What Percy needed a break from was the constant _reminder_ that it had happened.

    “Sorry to hear that, man.” had been the only response Percy's partner in the swimming division had given him. He had been cool about it, not prying or anything. Percy’s friends were an entirely different story.

    Percy knew Jason meant well, but the constant reminders that he was there for Percy in the face of suddenly being one of the only people in their small group of friends to not be dating anyone every day, those bright blue eyes fixing him with that pitying look that didn’t intent to be pitying...yeah. Percy needed a break.

    When Jason had proposed the idea for them to go to his father’s Virginia beach home, Percy had jumped on the idea. They had all been saving their sick days for the summer, and this would be a perfect way for Jason and their friends to realise that he appreciated their comforts, but he was _fine,_ honestly. Heck, he didn’t even mind that Jason’s friend was going to be there, or that due to the fact that the house wasn’t intended for a family, they were going to have to double up. Percy didn’t mind, unless the guy was, like, a slob or something. Being that he was Jason’s friend, Percy thought the chances were thin that the guy would be too bad.

    So there they were; Percy, Jason, Leo, Frank and Hazel packed in Percy’s car, Annabeth and Piper driving with Jason’s older sister Thalia and her girlfriend Reyna. (Said girlfriend was the only reason Thalia had agreed to be in her father’s house for an entire week. Percy was betting on the brown eyes being the straw that made Thalia give in.)

    Driving with just Leo in his car had been an _experience_ for Percy. He hadn’t known that the human vocal cords were capable of reaching a pitch so high for air guitar. It was somewhat better now, with Jason there to pacify his bursts of pent up energy, but Percy was relieved none the less when he, Jason, and Frank seemed to have lulled into a collective nap in the back, Hazel beside him in the passenger seat playing music from her phone.

    “I’m really glad Jason’s father is okay with this.” Hazel’s voice startled Percy from the relative quiet, but he managed to keep the car going somewhat straight.

    “Sorry.” He said quietly, ignoring the less than happy gestures from passing cars that had also swerved, thinking he’d lost control, but Hazel was giggling. One of the many great things about Hazel: she was hard to startle, which was a major plus considering the currently unconscious ball of energy in the backseat she’d befriended. (The other great thing about Hazel, you ask? Everything. Everything about Hazel is great.)

    “Don’t apologise.” Hazel quipped, the music from her phone settling into something soft and light that may or may not have been from the Steven Universe soundtrack. “I just think it’s really great, that we all get to have a break away from all of the drama working together causes. It’s like...we can stop being coworkers for a week and get back to being friends.”

    “Yeah,” Percy agreed, taking the exit left when the GPS unit from his own phone directed him to. “It’s like, a clean break, a place where no one knows us. We can just...be. Without having to be what the people at the Y expect us to be.” Hazel was quiet for a moment and Percy worried that he’d said too much, that he’d maybe gotten a bit Too Deep, but she was nodding.

    “I know you probably know this, but you shouldn’t feel like...we don’t expect you to be anything but you. Just like you expect of us.”

    “Of course.”

Percy was glad for the excuse to not meet her eyes.

    One eight hour drive later, filled with many bathroom breaks and switching drivers, Percy ended up climbing out of the back seat of his own car, Frank at the wheel, parked in front of a house so large it shouldn’t really have been considered a “beach house” but Percy wasn’t one to complain.

    There was of course the rush to see rooms, a moment to admire the view before bringing in all of their belongings. They had brought sandwiches for the trip and cereal for the morning, but someone would have to get groceries tomorrow. But for today, there had been enough driving on all ends.

    Percy was in the room that was his and Jason’s friend for the week when he arrived. Percy hadn’t heard a car or anything approach the house, just Jason’s shout of excitement when he’d got there. Percy had rushed out, thinking in a rush that Jason had been attacked or something ,but it seemed to be the other way around as he gripped a man whose face Percy couldn’t see in a bear hug. Apparently Reyna knew this man as well, because she was also hugging him.

    “Mmmph!” Was the only sound Percy could understand coming from the middle of the hug, presumably the man trying to get out. Percy tried not to feel rude when he walked back into the house to put his things away; he truly was excited to meet the man, but he looked at the way Jason held him, like he hadn’t seen the man in _so long,_ he thought it only reasonable to let them catch up before interjecting himself into their space.

So this was why, because fate never favours the polite, Percy was startled by an unrecognisable voice from behind him in the middle of putting away his socks.

“You must be Percy-” and the socks were airborne, Percy watching with an almost sarcastic amount of dread as the man caught them. This was his first impression, and though socks weren’t the worst thing he could have accidentally thrown at a stranger, he had hoped their introduction would leave Percy with less of a blush in his cheeks.

“Uh, yeah. Sorry about - “

“No, no.” the man interrupted, looking at the socks before tossing them back. “If I had cool ocean-pattern socks I’d want everyone else to know, too.”

Percy laughed, tossing said cool socks into the dresser that had been their original destination.

“Well, yeah. I am Percy, by the way.” he held out his hand, and for the moment that the man stared he’d thought that he’d made a horrible mistake, but then the moment ended and he felt the warmth of the man’s hand against his, the smoothness of a silver ring pressed against his fingers in contrast to their dark skin.

“Nico.” the man replied, and like after all handshakes Percy’s hand felt colder without Nico’s, falling back to his side as Nico set about putting away his own things and Percy doing the same.

Or, at least, that was what Percy told himself.

    That night, after a dinner of cereal and an assortment of snack foods the group headed down to the fair further down the beach, a small cooler in Percy’s hand. When they came to the entrance the man at the gate told them that since it was the last week of the fair’s season entry fare was free. The fair had blazing lights, loud rowdy music, and intense-looking beach rollercoasters.

    Percy’s mind was peacefully clear for the first time seemingly since the breakup. He noticed that while the group was made of adrenaline junkies who loved rollercoasters, he always seemed to end up in the seat next to Nico. The man was infuriatingly calm on the rides, even laughing when they barreled down the track with the entire ride screaming at the top of their voices. On one ride Percy had grabbed Nico’s hand on a pure instinct, not even noticing he’d done so until they were getting off the ride. Instead of pushing his hand away Nico had continued to hold his hand, lacing their fingers together and keeping holding his hand long after they’d gotten off the ride.

    On the buzz that the alcohol gave them they soon lost track of the rest of the group. They headed down to the water, playfully splashing each other. One splash by Percy to Nico sent the man completely under the water. For a moment Percy  thought he’s pushed Nico too far and the men couldn’t stand or get above water and looked frantically for him, saying his name over and over. As he began to actually panic he felt strong arms wrap around his middle.

    “Right here.” Nico whispered in his ear, and Percy hoped Nico wouldn’t realise how little his shiver had to do with the shock in comparison to that voice in his ear, the slight touch of lips to neck.

    Either way he turned in the man’s embrace and hit Nico’s arm for scaring him. Nico laughed, catching him in a proper hug.

    “Sorry,” He said, mumbling into Percy’s neck. “It was too good an opportunity to pass up.”

    Percy sighed, knowing he couldn’t possibly stay mad at those big, dark eyes. God, he was turning into Thalia. Or worse: Jason.  “It’s okay,” he said, backing away slightly to look Nico in the eye. This seemed to be a mistake, as he was caught off guard by the sight of him and left speechless. Nico’s longer hair was wet and pushed out of his face by his fingers, his dark face open and relaxed in the moonlight. His eyes were reflective of the moonlight and faded far-away fair lights, and seemed to pull Percy in. He could almost imagine getting lost in those eyes on late Sunday mornings, studying them without having to make sure he wasn’t being too obvious.

    Nico’s voice interrupted his thoughts, his breath shallow and warm against Percy’s skin. “May I kiss you?”

    Percy didn’t know in the moment what made him do it, the alcohol or the subtle ache that had been in his chest long before the breakup, but he found himself nodding. Nico closed the gap between their faces slowly, gently bringing up a hand to cup Percy’s face. He pressed his lips tentatively to Percy’s, giving him plenty of time and space to move away had he wanted to. Instead, Percy closed his eyes, wrapping his arms more firmly around Nico’s waist. Nico smiled into the kiss, the hand not on Percy’s face going to his hip.

    The kiss was different than any he’d shared with Annabeth. With her everything had felt soft and tentative, afraid to cross a thousand lines and unsure of what to do with his _everything,_ but this was something else entirely. Nico guided his hands exactly where he wanted them, pulling Percy closer, moving himself into the spaces between Percy’s legs, just against his chest.

    When they pulled apart, Percy pressing his lips to Nico’s neck as he fought to keep from giving away exactly how out of breath he was, and how that might not be entirely separate from his backing away slightly from Nico’s legs.

    “As nice as the water is at night,” Nico’s voice interrupted Percy’s thoughts, making him look up out of instinct into those dark  eyes,   entranced at once. “Which I do, don’t get me wrong, I can’t help but think it would be more wise to continue this somewhere a bit more dry?”

    Percy smiled into Nico’s skin, standing correctly and offering his hand. Nico took it immediately, no hesitation, and lead him to a wooden chair  on th4e beach, lightly pushing Percy into it and kneeling between Percy’s knees to lean down and kiss Percy properly.

    It was still a shock, as it always was for Percy to be kissing someone new. It wasn’t like Percy didn’t know he was conventionally attractive, but he just didn’t think of himself in that way, as someone who was desirable.

    Percy’s hands went up Nico’s back, making a brief pitstop to squeeze the other man’s shoulders before coming to rest in his wet hair. Nico smirked into the kiss as Percy rubbed circles with his fingers, taking a moment to brush a strand from Nico’s face. This resulted  in a slow, intimate moment in which Percy’s thumb dragged over Nico’s cheek, and Percy felt the resulting shiver. Nico’s hands were on Percy’s shoulders, half steadying himself and half squeezing, pulling Percy closer.

    They didn’t kiss like they were running out of time, or in their passionate burning way that suggested clothes carelessly thrown away or things going too fast. Their kisses were long and languid, each giving the other the opportunity to breathe, to pause and take in the wonder that was kissing a stranger.

    “I don’t,” Percy’s voice sounded embarrassingly wrecked, and he cleared his throat, hoping that the heat of Nico’s cheeks were an indication that the other man was just as affected and not judging him. “I’m sorry if this is - I don’t normally do this.”

    “Me either.” Nico confessed, straightening and standing, extending a hand to Percy. “But I suppose there’s a first time for everything.”

    Percy considered this, considered taking Nico’s hand and what that would mean. Was he really going to do this? Was this what he wanted?

    “It doesn’t have to, like,” Nico broke off, meeting Percy’s eyes with such an honest expression Percy’s mind was half made just from looking at those dark eyes. “If you don’t want to do this, or you want to forget this happened-”

    “I want,” Percy interrupted, taking Nico’s hand and standing, eyes level with Nico’s, the lids closing slightly from the sudden close proximity. “Everything you want to give.”

    The resulting smile, for the full ten seconds Percy was able to see it, was glorious, and the kiss following it just the same.


	2. Chapter 2

    When Percy wakes in the morning, it takes him a full moment to realize what’s happened, why he’s in a bed with Nico, and another moment to decide he doesn’t care.

    He lays in bed, listening to the ocean against the shore, the birds in the sparse trees, the breathing of the man beside him, taking note of the arm carelessly slung around his own body and the general closeness between them. He hoped...he hoped this wouldn’t be a regret for Nico when he awoke. Though they would have to leave at the end of the week, though this was built to fall apart, he couldn’t help but nuzzle closer, allowing himself these moments and whatever would come next before they had to go back and Percy was alone again.

    He watched Nico’s face, dark curls framing smooth skin, mouth somewhat parted carelessly in sleep. He sat up just so, reaching to softly brush a strand of hair out of Nico’s face, almost recoiling when Nico smiled in response in a way that was _not_ sleepy.

    “How long have you been awake?” Percy demanded, hating how his heart fluttered at the sight of Nico’s eyes, blinking against the bright sun reflecting off of the light walls.

    “Not long. I must say, your face is a sight to wake up to.” Percy was well aware of his face just after waking: hair everywhere, droopy eyes, the look of sleep making him feel slow.

    “I must say the same to you.” Percy responded instead, because even if Nico was being cheesy and flirtatious, he knew just how quickly he could get used to waking up to those dark eyes, that bright smile. Nico scrunched his nose in a smile, reaching up to touch Percy’s face in a way that was both intimate and casual, that made Percy’s heart say _oh._

“Kiss me?” It was unsure, as though despite their words Nico had the same doubts as Percy. Percy saw in his face, beyond the easy calm, a nervousness matched in his own chest. He smiled, leaning on a hand next to Nico’s head as he bent over to kiss him, their mouths pressing together easily as the night before, perhaps would have been more so had not been for the slight remaining fog of sleep. Percy could feel Nico smiling into the kiss and instinctively smiled himself, and soon they were no longer kissing, but laughing in close quarters., Percy resting his forehead against Nico’s.

    When their laughter subsided, when all that was left was the sight of Nico’s eyes and the slow, steady sound of their breathing, Percy was unsure of how to proceed.

    “You have a car, right?” Nico asked. Percy raised an eyebrow, but nodded in a sort of awkward way from being pressed so close to Nico. “Why don’t we, like, do the grocery thing?”

    “Do the grocery thing?” Percy repeated slowly.

    Nico nodded, nudging Percy off of him and sitting up, stretching his arms behind his back, showing muscles that Percy was definitely going to Think about. “Yeah, like, surprise the others and get groceries. We need to do that, right? I know how Leo will force Jason to sleep in on an off-work day, and I don’t hear anyone else awake. We can be, like, the Good Friends who get the groceries because everyone else had a bit more to drink last night.”

    Percy knew none of them had had _too much_ to drink, they all were responsible 20 somethings who knew their limits and knew how Not Fun hangovers were, but he also knew that he’d not been with the others for a sizeable amount of time, so their drinking wasn’t, like, entirely out of the ordinary.

    “Okay. I just need, like, pants. And probably a bit of water, to wake up or whatever.” the resulting smile on Nico’s face is worth the tragedy that is abandoning a warm bed before ten in the morning.

    After dressing and grabbing a bottle of water each, they were in Percy’s car, Nico googling the closest grocery store and acting as navigator. He chose to imitate the way a GPS system gave directions, and Percy had to say that he would rather listen to Nico laugh at his own jokes than the cool, crisp computer voice any day.

    The shop Nico led them to wasn’t a chain - it seemed nothing in the small town was, but Percy didn’t mind .Hey, support your local farmers, or someone’s.

    Grabbing the reusable bags he kept in the back of the driver’s seat, Percy joined Nico to walk in, Nico lacing their fingers together with one hand and pulling up a notebook app on his phone with the other.

    “Okay, so. What do we get? Like, I feel like we’re all either egg breakfast people or pancake breakfast people.”

    “Frank makes killer eggs, you have to have the experience.” Percy said, grabbing a basket. He figured if they were going to be there for only one week, they would probably end up going shopping again later in the week to make sandwiches for the ride back. “That reminds me, how did you get to the house? You seemed to just, like, appear?” Nico laughed at that, his nose scrunching up in the way Percy noticed seemed to only show in the laughs they’d shared alone, not like Nico was consciously laughing differently, but more the opposite. Like, with other people he was careful about which way his face looked, but with Percy he was more silly, more open.

    While Percy knew that was unlikely, the two still strangers, he humoured the thought.

    “I took a bus, but with the stability of bus schedules I might as well have appeared.” Percy nodded, remembering himself not too long ago the struggle of planning your time carefully, wide margins of time spent waiting for the bus or pacing and eventually leaving the house early in paranoia that the bus would leave without you. He didn’t miss it.

    “So other than eggs, we’ll probably not want to cook a lot, maybe something like grill food? Leo is pretty good at that. Something vegetarian, because of Piper. Probably some vegetables so we don’t, like, die.” Nico laughed, and Percy allowed himself a smile because though he was extraordinarily funny, and though Nico’s laugh was contagious, it was unwise to laugh at one’s own jokes too much.

    “So a week’s worth of tofu, assorted vegetables, and eggs?”

    “Maybe some blueberries. They’re in season, I think.”

    “You must be great at shopping at home.” Nico commented, but he did grab a package of blueberries as they passed, making their way through the produce section.

    “It’s a combined effort. Leo’s really good at getting it exactly. I kind of panic and buy things we don’t need.”

    “Oh?” Nico’s attention was split to inspecting a pepper, his hand letting go of Percy’s.

    “I think I once accidentally bought an entire chicken when I was only meant to get, like, the legs? Or some other small part? And it wasn’t even for, like - it was for soup. They really only needed a little meat and the bones.” Nico laughed at this, putting the four red and three green peppers he’d deemed acceptable into the thin produce bags, tying the end in a knot.

    “You are adorable.” he remarked, and Percy was getting slowly used to trying to not wonder if every compliment was flirting or if that was just the way Nico gave compliments.

    “Come on,” Nico said, gesturing with a movement of his head to the section of corn. “We’ve got lots of shuck to do.”

    The resulting snort of laughter was not Percy’s proudest moment, but the smile on Nico’s face made any pun worth bearing.

    By the time their shopping trip had come to an end, the price thankfully within the margins of the money Percy had put aside for food and gas for the week, Percy was ready to get back to the house and do exactly nothing. Or, at the very least, nothing that included shucking corn. Why does corn need so much protection?

    When they pulled into the drive he could see even from the car that the house’s inhabitants were awake and active, mostly from how they all came rushing out when Percy pulled to a stop.

    “Where were you?!” Jason’s voice was, Percy was shocked to realise, genuinely angry. Oh, man. Percy had forgotten that, like, telling other people where you’re going is Something You Do when you’re in a city that isn’t your hometown.

    “Getting groceries?” It was a statement for sure, but Percy still felt the need to be a little shit, as though grocery stores were the only reasonable place to be from eight to nine in the morning.

    “We thought - no one saw you two get back last night, we thought you’d been, like, kidnapped or -”

    “Hey, hey. We got back before aaaaaaaall of you.” Nico said, gesturing to the group as he elongated the ‘a’ of ‘all’.

    “Oh?” Leo asked, waggling his eyebrows in the most silly attempt to insinuate one having sex ever. He apparently saw their hands, because he gasped, no joke in his body language at all. “Oh my god, you _did -”_

_“_ Leo,” Jason cut him off, seeing their hands as well. Percy glanced at Nico, a silent question, Only Leo and Jason had seen, and Leo was too busy pouting to say anything. _How do you want to play this?_

    In response, Nico’s grip tightened around Percy’s.. _It’s fine._

    “I guess this is just karma,” Percy sighed, dramatically bringing the hand holding Nico’s to his chest. “I find out you and Jason got together by walking in on you _in our living room -”_

“You said something about groceries?” Jason cut him off, decidedly ignoring the collective snickers of the group as Percy let Nico’s hand go to turned the car off and get out, going to get the groceries from the back seat only to find them in the hands of Piper, Frank, and Hazel.

    “You nerd, you brought these bags on vacation?” Piper snorted at the reusable bags, all gifts from the Y for each year he’d worked for them.

    “I never took them out!” Percy protested, but Piper was already walking away, his nerdy bags in tow. Percy went to follow when he felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to find Jason, an unreadable look on his face.

    “Can we talk a minute?”

    “Sure.” Percy gestured to the beach and Jason nodded, looking past Percy. Percy followed his gaze to see Nico, who he waved to as a gesture to go on without him. “We’ll be right back.”

    Nico nodded, gaze moving from Percy to Jason, and changing to more of a Look than anything Percy had seen on his face, before Reyna slung an arm around his shoulder and led him inside.

    Jason and Percy headed a few yards down the beach, not too far away but enough to have a veil of privacy from prying ears.

    “Look, I don’t want to come across as the jerk, but,” Jason paused, looking like he was trying to figure out how to say what was on his mind. “I’m happy for you, don’t get me wrong, but I just think it needs to be said.” Jason took a breath, squaring his shoulders for what Percy hoped wouldn’t be a confrontation.

    “Whatever you’re doing with Nico, whatever you guys do, just make sure you’re very clear about if and when it ends. Nico has...he’s had some bad experiences in the past, and he tends to hang onto them. I know he pretends like nothing bothers him, but - “

    “Dude, I’m not going to, like, lead him on, if that’s what you’re worried about. We weren’t - we haven’t -” Percy took a breath, hoping to calm the heat in his cheeks. “It’s only been kisses. Nothing else.”

    “Are you sure?”

    This was the one fault of befriending one Jason Grace; those piercing blue eyes through those worn glasses frames always made Percy feel like they were somehow about to clash. He knew Jason was his friend and loved him, but he also knew that Nico was his friend, a friend who Jason thought needed protecting...from Percy.

    “I’ll be clear.” Percy managed to get out without his voice breaking in some embarrassing way. He knew Jason meant what he said, that he was just looking out for his friend. But watching Jason nod and head back toward the house, watching the waves crash on the not-se-far-away shore, Percy had to wonder: is he right? Was Percy something that Nico had to be kept away from, was this - this whatever it was - taking advantage of Nico? Percy hadn’t even asked anything about Nico’s life, who he was, if he had a boyfriend back home.

Percy walked slower than Jason back to the house, the door carelessly flung open through which he saw their friends squabble over bags, heard talk of plans of going to the beach, going to sleep; Frank snatching a carton of eggs before Leo knocked them off the counter in his haste, giving Leo an annoyed face, and Nico in the middle, as though he’d always been meant to fit into their hectic friendships, smiling at Percy.

Percy was  _ so fucked. _


	3. Chapter 3

Nico is not a morning person. This is something Percy learns on Wednesday morning, when the man in question doesn’t leave their room no later than eleven o’clock in the morning, with no surprise from Jason. Percy wouldn’t go as far as to refer to himself as a morning person, but the routine of going to work in the morning has trained his body to be awake in a way that simply won’t be broken over a few days’ time. 

When he does come out to the kitchen he is fully dressed, loose cotton shirt and jeans, but seems no less asleep. He takes the seat next to Percy, resting heavily on his side as he struggles to keep his head up.

“Dude, did you sleep at all last night?” Jason asked, not sounding surprised but more like a mom friend, always worried. 

“Why don’t you ask Percy?” Leo snickered, earning a Look from Jason; of the ‘I’d like to eat breakfast without being reminded that my best friends are kissing in my father’s house’ variety. 

“I did, it’s just really warm and that makes me sleepy.” Nico says manages through a yawn. Percy slides over his water bottle as an offering, which Nico accepts with a smile. 

“So, anyone have any plans as to what they’re doing today? Because as fun as lying around on sand sounds…” Piper trails off as she and Annabeth join them in the kitchen. She’s in shorts and a loose shirt, and Annabeth is trailing behind looking very content, in a way that suggests a simple calmness that only constantly being by the beach can supply.

“We could always play volleyball or something.” Jason suggests, only to be immediately bombarded with Haikyuu!! references. After rolling his eyes he continues:  “I’m serious, there’s always a net set up, and it could be a fun.”

“Do we even have a volleyball?” Frank asks from where he and Hazel are sitting on the bench next to the door. 

“I think so, I’ll go check.” Jason stands to do just that, getting a poke in the side from Leo as he goes, as per usual. There’s nothing but the sound of a soft rock radio station playing from a speaker in the window for a while, Nico stands to get cereal, Percy continues sipping water for the sake of something to do. He isn’t bored, he actually finds not having a plan to rush and finish quite relaxing. He sees Piper playing a game on her phone, Annabeth giving little points here and there. It all seemed so unreal, how at ease they all were, how they weren’t rushing to finish work or get to somewhere else. 

“Got it!” Jason called through the door as he walked through, volleyball under his left arm. “We can go whenever everyone’s ready - eaten and everything.” 

“Don’t let me hold you up.” Nico protested, only just settling down to eat his cereal. 

“Are you sure?” 

“Let the man eat his wheaties in peace, dude.” Leo said, standing. There were little sounds from around the room as shoes were located, chairs vacated. Percy was the only one to remain still, shoes already on his feet and ready for the day.

“You don’t need to stay behind on my account either.” Nico told him between a mouthful of cereal as the last of their friends left house - Leo, calling out for Jason to wait for him as he ran, shoes in hand as apparently he’d made the decision to make jokes rather than actually put them on, and Reyna looking on with an amused look, Thalia beside her, laughing. 

Percy turned his attention to his water bottle,  fiddling with it as to give Nico the peace of mind that he wasn’t being rushed. He didn’t have much to eat - nearly half of it had been eaten when everyone was getting ready. When he finished he stood, pausing to drink the milk as though finishing a bowl of soup before walking back around the island to wash both bowl and spoon, setting the clean product in the rack to dry. 

“You ready?” he asked, walking back around the island. Percy nodded, standing before Nico took his hand and led him out the door, closing it with his foot behind them.

“Will you be okay in jeans?” Percy asked. He’d noticed that Nico had only ever been wearing jeans the whole week, and while he understood that it was a bit of a struggle to get out of the winter in New England habit of only ever wearing long sleeves, he was getting to be concerned. 

“I’ve be fine, I have a bathing suit on underneath if it gets to be too hot.” Nico replied. 

“Chill,” Percy replied. They were more or less silent on the way over to the volleyball court, just watching the children run free over the beach, little ones being knocked over by particularly mighty waves at the shore, and overall the life along the beach. It was only when they actually reached the court that Percy remembered that Nico had only just met their group of friends, and had no idea what was coming.

“Hey, Nico?”

“Yeah?” 

“You ready for the most intense game of volleyball of your entire life?”

“Out!”

A chorous of “no fucking way” and “aw, come  _ on! _ ” rang from either side of the net as Percy laughed and  ran after the ball. He was no more immune to the competitive environment, but he did like to simply listen to his friends’ overdramatic antics from time to time. Quips from past games and inside jokes fang out after every move, at times rendering the other players unable to serve or return the ball for their laughter - a tactic, no doubt. 

“C’mon, Percy! We can’t let them win!” Leo called after him, catching the ball when Percy tossed it to him. “You ready, Grace?”

“How can either of us win? We’re not even keeping score!” Percy replied. A range of numbers, from reasonable 20-19 from Frank, to astronimical sums paired to negative numbers from Leo, rang across the court.

“Oh, are you just getting started? We were wondering.” Piper called, Annabeth snorting uncerimoniously from her side in a crouched position ready to intercept. In responce Leo smiled in a very determined way. He looked very serious, indeed, as he steadied the ball in his palm, lining up his other hand to serve - that was, until his hand connected with the ball and he let out a great shout such as that from a sports anime. 

By pure, unclouded luck the defence - Jason, Piper, and Annabeth - were too busy laughing to properly gaurd their boundries. The ball fell between the hands of Piper and Annabeth, Jason hadn’t even moved but for bringing a hand to his forehead in shame, but Percy could see his shoulders shaking with laughter.

“So that’s why they always take the shot screaming in anime,” Nico called, retrieving the ball while his teammates tried to gain control of their laughter, an easy smile on his face as he tossed it back over the net. “Their enimies are too busy laughing at them to return the play. 

“That has to be a sort of cheating,” Frank said from his position next to Percy, but he too was smiling, as were Hazel and Thalia behind them, and Reyna from the back line on the other side of the net to which Nico returned. 

Though Leo’s antics were silly, perhaps too much so at times, this was the common result; raised morale and laughter all around. There were times Percy could remember that the humour stemmed from self deprecation, and still sometimes did so, but for every year they were friends and got to know each other that had changed, dramatically so when he and Jason had gotten their shit together and  _ talked to each other.. _

“You gonna keep making jokes or actually play, Valdez?” Reyna called, her teammates around her finding their composure leisurely. Leo laughed at that, getting back into position.

“Oh, I’m sorry? Are you sure you’re ready for  _ this? _ ” Leo feigned serving twice, fooling Jason and Piper the first time, the two rushing to block a ball that wasn’t coming. “What? You thought I would start beating you again before you were even ready? For shame!”

When Leo did finally serve the ball it fell between the first and second row, and in trying to save it Annabeth backed into Reyna, bringing them both unceremoniously to the ground.

“HA!” Leo yelled, punching into the air. 

The volleys went on with their give - and - take pattern until after a few too many ending via a ball slamming into someone’s face, they decided to take a break.

Reyna and Thalia headed further up the beach, Thalia talking excitedly about the surfboards, Reyna looking torn between knowing how it would probably end (Thalia wiping out several times), wanting to record such a sight on her phone, and affection in the face of Thalia’s excitement. 

Leo collapsed dramatically in the sand, Jason setting down next to him, handing him a water bottle. After a few moments Leo eased himself up into a sitting position and drank the water, handing it back to Jason when he was finished before slumping over so that his head rested in Jason’s lap, closing his eyes for a proper nap. Jason smiled down at him fondly, his hands playing through Leo’s hair.

Frank, Annabeth, Piper, Hazel, and Nico set to work in building a sand castle; Annabeth, the archaeology major, had many ideas as to ensure it’s frainy integrity, as did Piper: a moat. 

“That’ll just make it easier to be washed away.” Annabeth warned, to which Piper responded by snorting. 

“Yeah, it’ll also make it easier to be  _ awesome.” _

Percy watched them all, content in sitting in the sand and not having to rush off anywhere. The water reminded him of work, all of the little kids clamoring to get in the water, even the ones who were afraid of the water ended up having at least a little fun if Percy could help it. Seeing all of his friends in the mid-afternoon sun, Percy thought to himself that the scenes looked almost like postcards; Annabeth laughing at Piper’s intense focus in creating the perfect moat, Frank looking surprised when a wall made of too wet of sand fell, Hazel patting his hand supportingly as though it had been something dear to him lost, Jason whispering bad jokes to Leo in his half-sleepy state, Leo smiling too hard to protest or properly insult the jokes, Reyna and Thalia running into the water, boards in their arms as they tried their hands at surfing for the first time.

“Hey,” Nico’s voice snapped his attention out of the dream world in which it is acceptable to only watch other people and think nice things of them, and back into the one in which they lived where such things could be awkward to explain.

“Oh, uh - “

“Wanna come swim with me?”

Nico was holding out his hand, the sun against his back creating a halo of light around his dark hair, turning his dark brown eyes to gold. Percy took his hand, following him down to the shore.

I thought it might be fun to, I don’t know, float around? I don’t swim very often.”

“Most of my swimming consists of teaching small children to stay afloat, so floating is good.” Percy replied. He didn’t need elaborate water games to keep him occupied all of the time. Sometimes it was good enough to just walk up to his waist, as they did, and let the water hold them up, the warmth of the sun balancing out the cold feeling of the ocean.

Nico was quiet. It wasn’t a shock, nor was it unpleasant, but Percy felt like there was something...something on Nico’s mind, that perhaps he wanted to share away from other ears. He didn’t press him, they simply chilled in the water, no cares but for watching subconsciously for riptides. 

“Hey, Percy?” The sound came some twelve minutes later. 

“Yeah?”

Nico was standing beside Percy, looking so open with his hair pushed entirely out of his face by the water, his shirt clinging to the top of his shoulders but loose the rest of the way down his torso, his eyes darker and closer to what Percy had come to associate with normal over the last few days. Percy stood to meet his eyes properly, and Nico offered his hands. Percy took them.

“I just - I wanted to thank you. The last few days, they’ve been so nice, and you’ve been so nice to me even though you don’t know me.”

“I mean, you’ve been just as nice  -”

“No, I mean - “ Nico cut him off, taking a breath. “The first night, you didn’t need to let me kiss you, and every day afterwards you’ve chosen to keep letting me -”

“It’s less of choosing to let you, Percy interrupted, his tone soft as he took his hands from Nico’s as to hold Nico in his arms, just as he had the first night, both of their eyes closing slightly from the proximity. “And more wanting to kiss you when you happen to want to kiss me.”

For effect, Percy kissed Nico, He’d wanted to, but it seemed a more appropriate time - especially with the topic at hand - rather than after their volleyball match. Nico’s hands went to Percy’s sides, not holding but ghosting up the sides that made Percy laugh into the kiss.

“Oh my god, you’re ticklish,” Nico was laughing at him, but Percy was laughing as well. He moved his arms from their spot on Nico’s back, feeling the sligh shiver from the brush of skin.

“Oh, you were - “

“Hey, lovers! Y’all ready for round two?” Leo yelled from the shore, the volleyball in his hand.

“Careful what you ask for, Leo.” Percy warned, letting go of Nico just enough to be able to hold his hand, They walked back together, both thinking of the maneuvers they would use in the match. 


	4. Chapter 4

Thursday evening is when the group has officially all got cabin fever. 

“I thought we came here because we spent too much time at home, but now all we’re doing is spending too much time here.” Leo complained, dramatically flopping on the couch next to Hazel and Frank, his head in Frank’s lap. Frank was far too used to Leo’s antics to show shock, and simply flicked at Leo’s curls to make them fall in Leo’s eyes in retaliation. Leo stuck out his tongue.

“I mean, we can always go back to the fair. It’s up for the rest of the week.”

“I’d rather go to a place that doesn’t require us bringing our own alcohol.” Thalia noted, playing with Reyna’s hair where they sat on the floor. “Just a thought.”

“There are places in the town we can go - small, because this  _ is  _ kind of an old person’s island, but a place nonetheless.” Nico says, not looking up from his phone. Percy has been leaning his head against Nico’s shoulder, watching him play Avengers Academy for the last twenty minutes, and while it isn’t the fastest of games in regards to the heroes fulfilling their missions, all of their little quips are funny when they’re not weirdly heterosexual, such as Matt Murdock’s staple: ‘I have a terrible taste in women.’

“Sounds good to me.” Leo says, and no one is protesting, so like all of the other plans they’ve made this week, that is enough. Within an hour everyone is ready, packed into Percy and Jason’s cars once again with shoes on, teeth brushed, and allocated vacation money in their pockets

The club is more packed than any of them were expecting. 

“Well, it  _ is  _ at the intersection of a few small towns. Other people were bound to get bored, too.” Reyna rationalizes. They try to spread out, as to not take up as much room as clearly the biggest collection of people in the place; Nico, Percy, Hazel, Frank, Reyna, and Jason to the seating area, Leo, Piper, Annabeth, and Thalia to the bar to see  the menu more clearly. 

Their group of friends aren’t really known for going out a lot, they never had the money, but they did occasionally, as tonight exemplified, make acceptions. Percy could see Leo at the bar, wiggling his eyebrows at Jason, who rolled his eyes in turn, but Percy had seen this scene play out many times. Jason pretended to find Leo annoying, but there they always were at the end of the night, hands in each other’s back pockets like a couple of teenagers.

“You not interested in a drink?” Nico asked, though he himself had empty hands.

“I wanted to give the bartender some space, not be too overwhelming.” Percy replied, having to raise his voice slightly over the music. He never minded music that was a bit loud, the neighbourhood he grew up in always had radios in windows, thumping bass and sweet voices alike echoed amongst the regular buzz of New York creating a familiarity to the constant noise from an early point in Percy’s life. There was more of a problem with that being added to an environment with so many other people in it. Percy didn’t consider himself claustrophobic, but he did feel slightly more comfortable when Leo sat on the other side of him, blocking out the view of the other clubgoers staring at them.

Annabeth and Piper came back shortly, only to deposit their drinks on a table as Piper led Annabeth to the dance floor. Reyna and Thalia followed, Reyna with a very amused look, which was fair, as anyone who had seen Thalia Grace dancing can attest to; It was quite a sight. There was a pause in foot trafic in their area for a total of five minutes as Leo made eyes at Jason from across two tables, Jason finally standing, and Leo following him with a soft ‘yes!’ At that point all who remained were Nico, Percy, Hazel, and Frank, until Frank stood to use the bathroom.

“Not going to dance?” Hazel asked over the music, moving closer to them as to hear each other better.

“Maybe later,” Percy replied, standing. “I’m going to get a water, anyone want anything?” 

“I’m good - Frank was going to get water on his way back.” Hazel said, smiling.

“I’m fine.” 

Percy nods, leaving them to chat as he orders his water. He waits by the bar, standing as to take up as little space as he could in the crowded room. 

He sees people making eyes at hims and, yeah, Percy knows that he would be considered conventionally handsome, even if he doesn’t always see why, and the idea of someone not from the same two or three small towns might be a point of interest to them, but he politely smiles and keeps his eyes front. He waves to Frank as the man returns to their area, but he’s mostly trying to keep from noticing every time someone comes too close, knocks shoulders or accidentally brush their hands against his back. 

When he returns to the area in which his friends’ drinks are, he finds that Hazel, Frank,and Nico are gone; he sees them on the dance floor, Hazel holding Nico’s hand, probably the reason he is out there, Frank next to them, and easy smile on his face. Nico looks calm, and Percy reflects that he and Hazel never did introduce themselves to each other, so it’s not that far-fetched that they are friends already, that they’ve been to clubs like this and danced together. He watches them, the easy sway of their bodies, the rhythmic step of their feet. 

Percy tries not to feel awkward as he sips his water by himself. He sees some strangers still trying to make eyes at him, but whenever they would come close he would shift his attention to his water, disinterest coming off of him in waves. There were times when his body language wasn’t enough and he would have to politely turn people, a whopping two, down verbally. The longer he was there (ten minutes - twenty?) the more isolated he felt, and the more he regretted not going with Hazel, not having the courage to go over to them, to ask Nico to dance. But then, he reflected, he would have to go through more people, people who were looking at Nico like he was just another aspect of  _ their  _ night, rather than a person in his own right.

It made Percy sick, when they went out, to see those sorts of people. People who looked at other patrons of clubs like they were just another option in their life, such as the drinks and food on the menu. He tried not to think too much of it, but then they were moving, not to talk to him, he’d already been established, apparently, as not worth it, but in his area, behind him, their bags and jackets brushing against his back as they walked by, their voices so near and so  _ many  _ of them. He needs to stand, to get some air, to do  _ something _ \- 

“Too loud?” Nico is asking him, and Percy can’t do anything but nod. There’s too much movement, he can’t pay attention to not bumping into anyone and ignore the sexist lyrics and talk at the same time; He’s hardly managing to do them separately.

But then Nico is offering his hand, and when Percy takes it is leading him out of the club. The night is warm and moist, in that way that summer nights are. They aren’t far south enough to have a clean, dry heat. The lighting on the sidewalks is a faint yellow, just like a small town from movies Percy’s never watched fully. He’s only ever known the street lights of New York; harsh fleurecent, there to do the job of guiding hundreds walking at night, students, graveyard shift employees, people who simply didn’t have anywhere to go. The lights, like everything else in the town, seemed more like they were there because they could be. There was no need, with the moon and the stars so bright in the sky.

“Is this better?” Nico asks him, and Percy is so lost in the simplicity of a small town that it takes him a moment to register the question, and nod in responce. It wasn’t that he longed for small town life, he knew that if he lived in this town he would probably hate feeling so cut off, but for the slice of time that was their week here, it was quaint and peaceful and everything Percy needed.

“The stars are beautiful tonight.” He says, sincere. 

“If you’re saying that to reenact that meme - “ Nico’s voice is playfully warning, and Percy laughs. 

“Of course not. It wouldn’t work, anyway. You’re more beautiful than the stars, or any third party that the meme requires.”

“Oh, you  _ dork.  _ Where’d you hear that, Leo?”

“I am offended, sir. My compliments are only the most sincere.” Percy exclaimed, dramatically bringing a hand to his chest in a way that suggests scandal. Nico rolls his eyes, and in this light, in this moment, Percy really does mean it. Nico is beautiful, the way his hair looks so soft and right hanging in a ponytail, the glint of his warm brown eyes in all of the different light, the way that apparently after only a few days he can read Percy well enough to know when he’s going into sensory overload, maybe even from experience. 

Percy is still holding Nico’s hand. It isn’t the most mind blowing of realizations - they’ve held hands plenty of times over the past few days. He tightens his grip unconsciously, not by much but enough to get Nico’s attention. 

“Want to walk down the boardwalk? You seem to like looking at the ocean.”

“Yeah,” Percy replies, and they start walking, down the sidewalk to the boardwalk. “My mom,  she always brought me to the ocean when she could. We never had a lot of money, and the ocean doesn’t cost anything. It’s just there.”

Nico nods, like Percy’s said something incredibly introspective. The closer they get to the ocean the more the streetlights fade and it’s just the light of the moon lighting up his eyes, making the sweat from being in a packed club shine on his face, highlighting the sharpness of bone, the curve of muscle in his shoulders. Percy knows that when Nico sees him staring like he is he will be called a dork again, but he doesn’t care. If he was making Nico uncomfortable that would be a completely different story, of course, but in the quiet of being the only ones there, walking hand in hand, he feels content in a way that he’s only just beginning to associate with being normal. He’s getting used to walking, to seeing other people and being content, and not feeling envious of the easy way in which  _ they  _ are able to go through the day. He’s got more important things to think of, like how Nico’s looking at him like  _ that,  _ like how Nico is leaning in, tilting his head just so as he kisses him.

While Percy knows they haven’t exactly spent a lot of the few days they’d known each other kissing, he reflected that whenever they did, it never felt like something that was rushed, like they were trying to do it as much as possible as to remember it better in the future; they were soft, no rushing, just enjoying the feeling of someone else’s lips against one’s own. He didn’t feel breathless when they stopped, he didn’t feel that itch under his skin like he’d somehow done it wrong or was waiting for approval. He was content.

They came to a halt about halfway down the length of the boardwalk, leaning against the fence before the sea. The waves were calm, low tide sending the water far from under their feet. Nico rested his hands on the fence, looking out at where the sea met the sky.

“It really is,” he said, turning to Percy. “Beautiful, I mean. You were right.”

Percy smiled, glancing out at the sea, the only place he’d ever felt comfortable asking his mother about his father. He thought about how she always remembered their time together as love; not as just another man passing through her life, but as someone who truly loved her, and she loved in return. He thought about how she associated all of this with the sea., and how when she looked out at the waves there was no anger or sadness in her eyes, just fondness of a time passed and the understanding that they had both moved on, that she was content. When Percy took his eyes from the sea, he noticed Nico hadn’t looked away, and gave a questioning look.

“What’re you thinking of?”

“My mom.” Percy replied. He loved his mother and wasn’t ashamed of it; she was awesome, the world just had to deal with that. Nico smiled, though not in a way that suggested cruelty. He looked somehow satisfied with Percy’s answer, as though he had asked another person the same question and the answer had not been what Nico had been looking for.

Percy thought of his mother, and how as with her time with his father, she never did anything halfway. She never stopped doing something she loved because someone else had told her she would regret it later; she lived her life because she wanted to. Percy had tried to do the same, but it was hard to live in such a way with the chronic anxiety produced by twelve years in the American education system. But in the night, with only Nico with his open eyes and warm smile, it was somehow easy.

“Dance with me?” 

` Now, his heart was still aflutter with the idea of rejection, but it didn’t last. Despite a slightly amused grin, Nico nodded, turning as to be led by Percy. Percy, as Nico knew from inside the club, did _not_ know how to dance, but perhaps it was better that way, because it was evident that Nico did. There wasn’t clarity on who was leading, they simply moved together in half circles around the boardwalk, each watching out for coming too close to the fences on either side whilst maintaining somewhat regular eye contact. It wasn’t awkward as it had every right to be, alone but for the other on a cloudless night, dancing slowly with the only music the distant hum of the base that came from the club. Percy wasn’t thinking of that, of how it _should_ be awkward, of how he _really_ couldn’t dance, there were more important things; Nico’s laugh, the glint of moonlight in Nico’s eyes, _Nico._


	5. Chapter 5

When Percy wakes on Frinesday he can hear the soft murmur of a radio from the kitchen. Sometimes Leo did this; found himself unable to sleep and went into their apartment kitchen and fiddled with something at the table with soft music playing until the thousand thoughts racing in his head were forced out by the sheer exhaustion of both a long day’s work and the weight upon one’s eyes from soft, slow music. He always forgot to turn off the radio, but no one really minded. It was pleasant, if not completely unusual, to wake up to.

Percy sighed, running a hand through his hair. It remained standing in the hand’s wake, which meant it was time for a shower. Usually at home Percy could manage a few days without showering without smelling too bad. It wasn’t that he avoided it, he just _forgot._ Like, the usual self-care things that a normal adult was supposed to have down pact? Percy had often found himself either outrightly forgotten or ignored them. A lot of people had thought that Annabeth hounded him on it, or whatever sexist bullshit, when they were together, but she was just as bad. _Design the corner molding for a ten story building or shower?_ wasn’t even a valid question in her mind.She was better about it when she was at her own apartment, but Percy supposed that was just routine.

Thinking of Annabeth and her apartment made Percy’s thoughts drift to his own room in New York, only four days away from returning to it. It was so strange, how fast everything was going, yet it seemed in his memories to be stretched out and golden, like a cheesy old video with a yellow filter over it to emphasize the fact that they were good memories.

“What are you thinking of?” Nico asked, his voice rough from sleep. Percy shifted slightly to have better view of his face, of the content look that seemed to only come after he’d scared Percy by talking when Percy thought he was still asleep.

“I just,” Percy sighed again, his arm flopping back to his side. “Everything about this week is all going so fast. I’m not quite sure, like, how to process it? Like, it’s been amazing and everything, I wouldn’t change it, but it’s happening in such a small time it’s weird to think about?”

Nico seemed to ponder this for a moment, stretching his neck from sleep.   
“Well, I suppose it isn’t the worst of fates? You could be trying to process a lot of bad things happening at once.”

“Okay, but - here’s the thing,” Percy said, his hands going in front of himself as he spoke. “I _can_ process a lot of bad things happening at once. I’ve done it, it’s actually easier, because my brain kind of goes into autopilot, like; ‘oh shit, disaster is afoot, this is our specialty, we just have to find a solution.’. And then it’s over, but with good things it’s like...where do I even go from here? Do I just, like, reminisce while it’s happening and miss out, or miss it when I get back? It’s just - “ Percy’s hands balled themselves into fists, his arms coming closer to his own chest unconsciously. “It’s like I don’t know how to be happy and be content with it, and that’s a weird thing to contemplate at - “ Percy checked the clock on the wall. “Nine o’clock in the morning.”

Nico was quiet after Percy finished speaking, and though he could have just been mulling over the thoughts, Percy hurried to apologise.

“I’m really sorry, that was a lot to dump on you and you shouldn’t have to worry about that - “

“No, no,” Nico interrupted. “I mean, I get it. I feel the same sometimes, but for me it’s more like - like with you, there’s a question, right? There’s the ‘how do I process this, what happens next’ kind of deal, but with me it’s like, there is no question. It’s all going to end, so we might as well make the best of it? You know?”

Percy nodded, though he was troubled by the response. There was an underlying feeling he thought Nico might be avoiding - though within the parameters of their week together there was a clear end, the last day, this surely wasn’t true with everything. There must be something: a job, a friend, _something_ in Nico’s life that was more stable.

“There won’t be anything to do today,” Nico noted, running a hand through his hair. “The rain will wash out the sidewalks and make it that weird cold outside.”

“Who says we have to do anything?” Percy asked, the idea only forming as the words came from his mouth. He wasn’t really the stay in bed all day kind of guy, but that was what vacation was for, right? Do things you can’t always at home. “We can just, like, watch a movie or something.”

For a moment there was a look that came across Nico’s face, like the idea reminded him of something he’d rather not be reminded of - but then the moment was over, and the easy smile returned.

“Sure. Got any movies you’ve been dying to watch?”

Within the next hour, having thought of no movies that either man had desire to watch, they’d decided on the first thing they saw - and subsequently, within one hour, were sucked into the world and story of The Get Down. Not even an entire episode in, and Percy was already caring more for the characters than he did for those he’d watched seasons of through Leo and Jason’s late night binging in their living room.

“I don’t - oh my god.” Percy didn’t even know what he planned to say, but there was _so much,_ packed into one episode. Nico laughed at him, but Percy had heard his catch of breath, seen his eyes following intnetly. Nico was just as invested as he.

“Did you just want to keep going?” Percy asked. Nico’s attention snapped from the end credits to Percy, a strange sort of look in his eyes. “Is there - did you want to do something else?”

“No, no, it’s,” Nico laughed, seemingly at himself. “Heh, it’s not - it’s been so long, but there was a person, a boy I would - he would make me watch movies with him. I mean, it wasn’t all bad, and he didn’t _force_ me to, but, uh, it didn’t end well with him. And all I could think f was - was him.” Nico was so quiet after he finished speaking, his hands fumbling over each other in a way that suggested a need to hold something, a distraction.

“If you want,” Percy started, offering his hand. “You can tell me about it? Or I could - I don’t know - tell you about one of my exes to make you feel more at ease?”

“You don’t have to - “ Nico protested, but Percy was shaking his head.

“I _want_ to. I want - “ _I want you to be comfortable?_ It sounded strange, even within his mind. _I want to make up for making the memory resurface?_ Nico took a breath, taking Percy’s hand.

“O - okay, if you want to - to tell me about - “

“Okay, so this is a Story, so I’ll have to provide some Context.” Percy warned, causing Nico to laugh before continuing.

“Okay, so: context. I went to a bunch of really, _really_ white private schools with kids who’d seen the racist ‘spicy latin lover’ books or tv shows watched by their Wine Mom™ , or whatever, so you can imagine how any attempt of courtship was met with hetero bs. And, like, with the stigma around bisexuality, which was either a person rejecting me because they thought my being bi meant I was going to cheat on them, or having to be everyone’s personal sex ed teacher, or whatever.

“That’s rough, buddy.” Nico said, and Percy laughed. `

!Okay, so now that you’ve got the Context,” Percy paused, trying to chose how to start the story. “There was this one guy, Luke. He was an upperclassman. He was so cool to little freshman Percy Jackson, like what tv makes you think teenagers are supposed to look at, then you look at yourself and only notice, like, the differences? He was this white kid, blond hair and blue eyes with a, like, upper middle class ‘I don’t work so I have an even tan’ tan? He had this scar,” Percy gestured to his own face, crossing through his right eye. “From his freshman year. Apparently his dad is a pta parent, or whatever, and a kid whose parent didn’t like Luke’s dad picked a fight, but pulled a knife or something? I don’t know, man, pta families are wild” Anyway, he was like, his personality swung between this really easygoing guy and the whole ‘I hate my dad and this whole damn town’ shtick. Looking back that might’ve been a red flag, but I digress.”

“He and I had never hung out alone before, like, this one day in one of the last weeks before the start of my sophomore year, his senior. He’d been acting weird, but I was kind of ignoring it like? Maybe if I didn’t say anything it’d go away? Anyway, he invited me to his house, which was this kind of big, but obviously expencive kind of house with a garden and a few trees in rhe back, where we were.”

“I don’t even know what we talked about, but I remember it was mostly me talking. About an hour or two in, in one of the slices of time in which neither of us were speaking, he kissed me.” Percy paused, thinking of how to word his story. He’d never told anyone the detailed version but his mom. “I didn’t - really know what to do? Because I knew I liked him, but I also knew he was older than me and it wouldn’t be healthy. I honestly wasn’t ready for a relationship then, like, even if his age wasn’t a factor.”

“So I was, kind of, not responding? But he still tried again to kiss me. After the second try he stopped, and I was so relieved, but I didn’t know what he’d do. He looked mad, like I’d never seen in him. He tried to pull that ‘Oh, I’ve talked to you for so long, I know you like me, why won’t you kiss me?’ bs. I knew it was bs even then, but I felt so much smaller than him, so I didn’t say anything. Then he stood, and I didn’t really know what to do but stand as well., Hre took my hand - I remember, he was holding it so tight it hurt. He told me he wasn’t going to school, that he was going off with some other pta kids who hated their parents, and that I should go with him. I don’t remember exactly what I said, but I essentially said no., I could tell it got him mad, “

“He, like, let go of my hand in this really violent way? Like he was throwing it down. He pushed me and told me the whole ‘you’ll never be your own person with your parents around, you’ll never be free here’ shtick.  I don’t remember what happened after that, but I got home and my mom rushed to me. Apparently I’d been crying? I told her everything and,” Percy took a breath, trying for a smile, knowing he wasn't quite getting there. “That’s my ‘ecx’ story. I’d tell you about the breakup with Annabeth, but there’s not reAlly a story there.”

Nico was silent, and Percy was terrified that he’d said too much, that Nico had picked up that he was still so caught up about something that had happened so long ago. Then -

Nico hugged Percy. Nico hugged Percy like only his mom hugged him, full of intent. It wasn’t an off hug, just a brush of limbs and chests. Nico held Percy so firmly that, many years later in a small bedroom thousands of miles away, Percy Jackson felt like he didn’t have to hide how it made him feel, how it still shook him up. His back felt more loose and a weight lifted from his chest, like telling someone had been a distant memory of something he’d wanted, even needed to do, but had always pushed aside or forgotten .

“I’m so sorry you had to live through that., You didn't deserve it and _he_ isn’t a reflection of who you are.”

Percy nodded, unsure of just what to say. He brought his arms to Nico’s shoulders, squeezing them.

“Hey, hey, I thought I was supposed to be comforting you.”

“Multitasking.”

Percy laughed, and he was close enough to feel Nico’s body move as he exhaled through his nose at his own wit. Nico loosened the hug, backing up enough to see Percy’s face, to put a hand on his cheek. His hands were so warm, from being so close in their blanket, from holding Percy’s as he shared a story he thought he’d never be able to, much less want to tell anyone.

“I know - I know that feeling, like nothing is supposed to hurt anymore, like you’re supposed to be over it. I also know that it’s not true, that you’re allowed to feel things for as long as you want. You don’t have to let everything go, you’re allowed to feel some things more deeply than others, and if telling people helps,” Nico’s eyes, dark and beautiful and brimming with a urgency to make Percy understand, as though he’d been told the same thing, were so close, Percy felt warmer just looking at him, knowing that a stranger of three days already cared so deeply, or that Nico was just the sort of person to care about these things in complete strangers. “You can tell me.”

Percy nodded, and Nico used the hand cupping his cheek to bring his face closer, just a breath away. He looked like there were so many things he wanted to say, but when he kissed Percy, it was as though he hads seaid them all. The kiss was their slowest, barely a movement of lips, more of a mere presence than pressure. A reminder; I am here. You are not alone. We may not know each other, this might be over in a few days, but until then, if you need anything, tell me. I will be here.

When they drew away Percy rested his forehead on Nico’s shoulder. He was not ashamed, not of the story nor how it affected him, nor how the feeling of warmth in his chest when Nico kissed him far surpassed the piercing cold that persisted when he thought of Luke in the bottom of his stomach. He merely needed a moment, to take it all in, to take _Nico_ in.

“I think,” Nico began, and Percy drew back so that he might see Nico’s ace. “I think I want to tell you. About - about him.”

Percy’s eyes widened, but Nico smiled and squeezed his hand. _It’s okay. I_ want to.

“He was,” Nico began, but then paused, seeming to think of a different way to phrase it. “His name was Will. I met him when I was fifteen. I had known that I was gay for a few years, but I had only told Jason. I knew - my mother and sister loved me very much, but I didn’t know how my dad’s family and everyone else would react. It had - like, with internalized homophobia, been a big part in some self-confidence issues in my earlier teen years, but at that point it just wasn’t relevant?”

“Anyway, Will. He wasn’t a friend of a friend, more like just a kid I vaguely knew of? He’s a med student and he saw me eating lunch - I don’t remember what I ate back then, but it either wasn’t good or was in such small portion that it wasn’t very good anyway, but better than nothing. He was a little older, but hung out with kids younger than him, so he had, like that childlike courage to just walk up to me and tell me he was getting me a school lunch. Like, no conversation, no ‘hi, how are you? My Name’s Will.’.”

“We kind of started hanging out together, me with his friends and him, him telling me I had to take better care of myself - which, okay, at the time was a fair point, but still kind of annoying that I hardly knew him and he was, like, lecturing me like he was my dad or something. I had never dated anyone before, so I didn’t want to make the first move, but I didn’t have to because one day someone asked Will if we were dating and he just, like, shrugged and asked me if I wanted to, and I said yes? I didn’t - god, I hardly knew him, but he was the only guy who was interested in me, and I guess he was cute. So, we were dating.”

“It was good for the most part. We would hang out, he would tell me to eat better or to get some sleep or whatever. We would watch movies. But - “ Percy could feel the tone of the story shift, less like nostalgia, and more like they were getting to the center of the problem. He squeezed Nico’s hand supportingly. “I would, like, try to talk to him about the internalized homophobia, my mom and sister, my dad - and he would just, like, brush it off? Like, oh, you’re with me now, that doesn’t matter. It’ll all be okay, or some bullshit.”

“One day we were hanging out and I was trying to talk to him and he just, like, snapped. He was like, how do you ever hope to get past it if you don’t ever stop talking about it?! And I - I got so mad, I was like; but I don’t! You never _let_ me talk about it! I need! To! Talk about it! And he just, like, didn’t understand. I left, and he - he didn’t even try to stop me. All that talk about my health and he doesn’t even - didn’t even care. He didn’t care about me, not really. He just wanted to be the Good Med student, engaging with and dating the mentally ill gay kid. I bet he cites our time together in his university essays. Like; ‘under such conditions, a sad gay kid will act in such a way. Source - my home, 2013’.” Percy laughed, and so did Nico. “

But - but I just, like, stopped hanging out with him? About a week after not seeing each other, not talking to each other at all, he walked up to me and asked if I even wanted to be with him anymore, or if I still wanted to be friends. I said no and he,” Nico paused, smiling, though it wasn’t funny. “He just walked away. He never spoke to me again. Sometimes I would - I didn’t know if it really happened or not. It really fucked me up for a long time, and still does.”

Percy knew he wasn’t the most articulate of people. He knew he didn’t have that silver tongue that could sell any line, convince a stranger they were best friends. He knew he didn’t always know what to say. But the times like these, the times where he _should_ be able to say _something_ introspective or - or _helpful,_ that was when he felt it most.

“I’m,” he squeezed Nico’s hand. “I’m _so_ sorry. That’s - that’s so fucked up! Especially - a med student? His whole career, the rest of his life depends on him caring for, caring _about_ other people, how could he just - “

“I know.” Nico laughed. “I know, you don’t know how many times I’ve said those exact words. I’m - like I said, it still fucks me up, but now, it’s like - I’m better equipped to deal with it. Like, before? I would have blamed myself, said it was something wrong with me and just let it go, just add it to another thing I hate about myself, but now; I’m able to be angry. I don’t think everyone understands that feeling, finally being able to value yourself enough to be furious at someone doing you wrong. I’m finally able to say, yeah, he was a fucking asshlole and he fucked me up, but it’s not always - like, some days are better than others, but even on the worst days, I'm better than I was then. And that’s not to say - I know healing isn’t linear, but I know that I’m getting better. I’ve gotten a bit better. I can keep going, I can tell people. I can feel things for other people without always thinking of him.”

When Nico finished, he looked up from their intertwined hands and met Percy’s eyes. He looked better than before he’d told Percy, he looked like what Percy imagined he looked like after telling Nico about Like. His eyes were so clear, so _hopeful._

Suddenly, Percy was hyperaware of how quiet it was but for the sound of their breathing. He looked out the tiny window and saw that there was no more violent wind, no series of disturbances in the puddles and the ocean.

“It’s stopped raining.” He said, and Nico smiled, kissing him lightly before laying back into the bed, bringing the covers to his chest.

“Yeah, but it can wait. I want to see what happens in the rest of Part One."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sorry about this chapter, it's definitely the shortest of them all, but there are a lot of intense emotions to make up for it

“What’s up?”

Nico and Jason had walked about five yards before Nico ventured the question.  _ Honestly, who asks to talk and then doesn’t speak? _

__ “Nico - “ Jason sighed, turning to face the ocean. “You know this’ll end badly. Why are you doing it?”

“What are you talking about?” Nico feigned ignorance, but his voice was too fierce. They both knew what Jason was talking about, and they both knew that it was  _ none of Jason’s damned business.  _

__ “Nico.” Jason was almost pleading. “I’m not trying to tell you what to do, and I know Percy is a good guy who would never intentionally hurt you - “

“Exactly the reason I don’t see a problem with having a little fun.” Nico cut him off. Jason gave him a Look, the one that mean Jason was about to try and be philosophical

    “But is it really just fun? I’ve seen the way you look at him. It’s the same way you looked at - “

    “Don’t!” Nico got out, anger thick in his voice. How dare Jason emotionally manipulate him in this way, how  _ dare  _ he.

     “I just...don’t want you to get hurt again. Just think of it; you both said it’s just for the week, but feelings like that, looks like that, they last longer than weeks. And you both live so far away and have your jobs, you’d never be able to see each other. It’ll just end badly. ”

     “Do you? Is that it?” From the way Jason looked at him Nico could tell his expression had changed - slipping into an anger he hadn’t felt in a long time. It scared Nico, the way it ballooned in his chest.

     “Nico - “

     “I have to go.” Nico interrupted, pushing past Jason, back toward the house. “You’re right, this was  - I shouldn’t have - “ Nico took a breath, trying to calm himself.

     “I’m changing my bus ticket and leaving a bit early..” 

     “No, Nico, I didn’t - !” There was real panic in Jason’s voice. Nico could just make it out over the blood in his own ears.

     “I...I can’t do this again, Jason. You’re right. It’s a mistake.”

      Nico could hear Jason behind him calling him back, but it was faint. He could see Percy, only yards away with his dark skin sticky from sunscreen, laughing at something Leo was saying. It looked like something from a postcard, and it made Nico feel even more isolated, like he was in his own personal hurricane that didn’t even effect the perfect sun around him. 

      “Hey, what did Jason want to - Nico?” Percy looked surprised when Nico didn’t rejoin him, and concerned when he saw Nico’s expression. He jumped up, following Nico several paces before running in front of him, holding out his arms to stop Nico’s gait.

     “Hey, hey, hey, what’s wrong? What happened?”

      “Percy, move. I have to go.”

     “I can’t let you leave like this, please just talk to me - “

      “No!” Nico pushed Percy’s hands away from himself. “This was a mistake, Percy. This whole week. I can’t - I can’t - “

      “Nico, it’s okay.” Percy’s voice was soft and soothing and it would have been so easy for Nico to lose himself in it, to simply reap the mistakes when it came time to sow, but he couldn’t. 

     “I’m leaving. I have to - I have to go.”

      Nico walked past Percy, Percy frozen in shock. After a few yards his gait quickened to a sprint, to the house, frantically packing and ordering himself a cab, tourist prices be damned. He just had to get away, away from that house, away from the memories, away from the broken look in Percy’s eyes when he walked by. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning for a graphic description of a panic attack in this chapter

When Percy got back to the house, it was eerily still. No one else was there. He went to the room that he and Nico had shared - folded sheets the way they’d left them that morning, Nico’s bag gone. Percy felt a bubble of panic rising in his chest. How could it all - Nico’s smile, his warm hands, his dark eyes - be gone just like that? How had everything that they had talked about,  _ everything,  _ mean so little?

When Percy was little, he reflected as he sat on the ground, unable to handle sitting where they had layn, where Percy had stripped himself of everything for Nico to see -. When he was little, he’d thought a declaration of love was the end of it. You told someone you loved them and they understood. Even if they didn’t return your feelings, they didn’t just  _ leave _ -

“Percy?”

“Percy, are you here?”

It was too much, too many people, too fast. Percy blocked his ears with his hands, his legs folding inwardly on instinct. He almost didn’t notice the heaving of his breath, didn’t even feel it in his chest. He pressed his hands to his face, too much pressure, perhaps if he just pushed a bit farther he could make it stop, make it  _ stop. _

__ “ _ Percy!” _

__ Percy heard his name as though it was an alarm waking him from a deep sleep, something distant, something he couldn’t deal with at the moment. He felt hands on his own, prying them away from his face. He saw blond hair, different eyes, ,and thought that something had gone wrong, someone was hurt or in trouble, he had to do  _ something -  _

__ “Percy, it’s okay, you’re okay.” He could make out two distinct voices, both saying the same comforting things, sitting in front of him to both left and right. His breathing evened out, little by little until he was calm enough to recognise the voices belonging to Annabeth and Jason.

“Why - “ Percy struggled, noticing for the first time, as though as an afterthought, the tears on his own cheeks. “Why wasn’t I - good enough.”

“Percy you are, you are good enough!” Annabeth urged, voice full of emotion Percy couldn’t read.

“But I wasn’t,” He said, hands, going to his hair. “I wasn’t good enough for Nico...for you.”

“Percy, that wasn’t the reason we broke up.” Annabeth said fiercely, taking one of his hands to bring his focus to her completely. “We broke up because we weren’t in love. And I am not straight.”

“What?” Percy had heard her say the bit about not being in love, the bit about them loving each other because they were young and thought it was what they were supposed to feel, but this was new.

“This past week, when you got together with Nico, I was with Piper. I’ve known, about the not being straight, for a while I just was trying to find the right way to say it. Then I started hanging out more with Piper - “

“You  _ live  _ with Piper - “

“And she told me about her feelings for me.” Annabeth continued. “We had, like, this big Talk on the drive down. I told her how I felt and we started dating.”

“That was why you looked so happy in Maryland.” Jason snickered, but after a look from Annabeth he was solem again.

“Percy, this isn’t your fault. It’s mine.”

“How is Nico not liking me back your fault?” Percy asked, incredulous. Jason flinches at the words, placing a hand on Percy’s shoulder. 

“He does like you, Percy.”

“If you’re telling me this so I feel better - “ Percy's threatening warning was cut short.

“I’m not. I talked with him yesterday. Well, ‘talked’” Jason said. “He was going to tell you, I warned him not to, told him all of why it wouldn’t work - “

“Jason!”

“I know, I’m sorry!” He definitely looked it. Honestly, Jason looked about as wrecked as Percy felt. “You’re both sad and it’s my fault and I’m sorry! I didn’t mean for it to - I thought it’d be better if it ended here, but - “ Jason got this fixed look on his face, like he was incredibly angry but hopeful just the same. “But that’s not my choice to make. I’m sorry I took that choice from you both. It was selfish and wrong and I’m sorry.”

“You were just trying to be a good friend - “

“No, I won’t let you brush it off like that.” Jason said fiercely. “I will make it up to you both, earn your trust.”

Percy nodded, and Jason shook the hand on his shoulder reassuringly before standing, offering a hand to Percy and Annabeth both. 

“Come on,” he said when Percy stood. “You’ve got a cheesy ‘meet-in-the-middle-of-a-bus-station’ scene to make.” 

“You say that like you won’t cry when it happens.” Percy teases, and Jason laughed. 

“Buddy, I’m crying  _ now.  _ My tears have no shame.”

Following Jason’s directions Percy, Jason, and Annabeth  raced to the bus station. Nico’s bus didn’t leave for fifteen more minutes, but ten of those minutes were spent getting there even at Percy’s highest speed. He thought he obeyed all other traffic laws on the way, but couldn’t be sure. Everything was a blur of streets and cars and rain and  _ Nico likes me back.  _ He felt like a teenager, chest all full of ridiculous hope and hands shaky from the truth he still had to share, that he still had to confess. 

They came barreling into the bus station parking lot, which in itself was an irony. Percy parked as best as he could manage to care, stuck the keys in his pocket and told Jason and Annabeth to wait there. As wonderful moral support they were, he didn’t want any confusion. Or an audience, particularly.

Percy got to the middle of the bus station floor before he realised: he had no idea what bus Nico was taking. He had no idea where to look. 

_ Oh, hell. _

Through cupped hands Percy shouted Nico’s name, getting nothing but stares from strangers that definitely not Nico. He ran back and forth, searching the crowd of people for that face,  those brown eyes, until - .

The loud tongs of the clock striking noon struck Percy. He was too late. Nico’s bus had left, or perhaps had left before he’d even got there.

Percy sat heavily on a bench, hands on his knees as he tried to control his breathing. Two panic attacks in one day wouldn’t be fun. 

How could he think, he told himself, that it would be that easy? That he would just  _ find  _ Nico, that Nico wanted to be found. He could have heard Percy’s calling and decided it wasn’t worth it, the drama was too much. How could he think, even if Nico felt the same, that he would listen, would  _ want -  _

__ “Percy?” 

Percy’s breath halted and his gaze snapped up to dark brown eyes, eyebrows furrowed with concern. Percy couldn’t breath, then - 

“Are you - ?” Percy interrupted Nico with a hug, more forceful than he meant, knocking Nico to the ground and holding him still. 

“P-Percy!”

For a moment Percy could do nothing but hold Nico, hold close the man he thought he would never see again. He buried his face in Nico’s neck, breathing in the beach and Nico’s deodorant and beneath it all just  _ Nico. _

__ “As enjoyable as the ground is,” Nico was saying, slowly inching them up into a sitting position, not attempting to push Percy off or away. “Which it is, believe me. I can’t help but think this conversation better suited by a seat?”

“I don’t , I just need to -” Percy realised the mistake of speaking into Nico’s neck and backed up, meeting Nico’s gaze. He saw in it an emptiness he supposed had been in his own. “Nico, I need to tell you something very important before you leave. And - and you can leave, and it’ll be fine, but I have to - “

“What is it, Percy?” Nico asked gently, and with those sweet eyes so close, those warm hands on Percy’s back, Percy couldn’t help it.

He kissed Nico. He kissed Nico with such feeling, such pure emotion he was unable to express with words. Nico was still for a single heartstopping moment, but then he was  _ there,  _ kissing Percy, hands in Percy’s hair, legs shifting under Percy until Percy was in his lap as close as public would allow.

When they broke apart for breath Percy rested his head against Nico’s forehead, Nico’s eyes still shut but his hair still gloriously messed up from Percy’s hands, breath heavy, and Percy couldn’t keep it in.

“Oh my god, I love you so much.” Percy said, a ferocity in the way his voice broke. Nico’s eyes snapped open, mesmerising even in confusion.

“Jason said - “

“Jason was wrong.” Percy interrupted, pressing little kisses against Nico’s mouth. “I know it’s only been a week but I love you and I am willing to make the distance work and I  _ love you so damn much.” _

Nico brought the two of them together again for a proper kiss, still not as calm as those shared in the beach house, still unsteady from the shock and high ranging emotions, but it was exactly what Percy wanted, what he felt when he grabbed any part of Nico he could reach; his arm, his shoulder, his hair.

“I love you, too.” Nico gasped as they broke apart, hugging Percy tightly, Percy gripping him just as tight in return. “I don’t care what happened or what anyone thinks we should be I love you and that’s all that matters to me.”

“Did you get all of that?”

Percy looked up, surprised to see Annabeth and Jason a little while off. Percy hadn’t noticed being watched, too busy for such minor details, but he saw the two of them a little ways off, phone in hand. 

Percy would have said something, done something, but Nico was laughing and, honestly, priorities. “You - you live in New York?” He asked.

“Uh,” Percy was confused, but too elated to care. “Yeah. Why?”

“I’m - I was going to tell Jason - I’m moving. To - to New York. For my dad’s work - .”

“Oh my God.”

Suddenly, despite everything , it was so ridiculously funny that Percy shook with laughter, Nico laughing as well. Percy didn’t care about the looks that they got by passersby, Annabeth and Jason comparing pictures they’d snuck. He didn’t care. Nico was in his arms. Nico was his, beyond this week, beyond these walls. 

That was what mattered to him.

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: This work is entirely fictional, a work of fanfiction and is in no way a representation of Rick Riordan or anyone who represents him/his publisher/the future of the series/anything legal. Rick Riordan does not, as well as anyone else in any way a part of the creation of actual Heroes of Olympus works, recognise of this work as an official representation of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians/Heroes of Olympus series.


End file.
